Dr. Shelley Crampton, L.P.C.

I attribute my success to my children and to the determination I found in knowing that, as a woman, I could make it on my own. I was a pastor's wife for 22 years, and when I found myself on the brink of divorce with two little kids, I knew I had to take action. I had always been drawn to the therapy world, so I returned to school as an older student. It was challenging raising two young children while pursuing my education, but they were my greatest motivation — I was committed to showing them that you can move forward and achieve your goals, even when life is hard. Both of my children have since graduated college, and that means everything to me.

The best advice I can offer is this: you can achieve your childhood dreams, even when you doubt yourself. I was the kid who never knew she was smart. I had fairly significant ADHD that went undiagnosed until perimenopause, yet I remember thinking as a child that I wanted to earn a doctorate someday. I set a goal for the age I wanted to accomplish it by — and I made it. Now, with my doctorate in hand and a practice I love, I am living proof that the dreams you carry from childhood are still worth pursuing. It is never too late, and you are more capable than you know.

I genuinely believe you can build a meaningful career in a field you love while making a real difference — in the lives of others and in your own. I tell my interns all the time that I understand what they are going through because I have been there. I validate that it is scary, because it truly is. You are holding people's stories and wellbeing in your hands, and that is a profound responsibility. I remember being a single mother during my internship, working without pay, and thinking I would have accepted anything just to get started. Those hard seasons ultimately revealed just how resilient I was, and they fuel my passion for changing the culture around intern compensation in this field. At Bluebird Counseling Services, interns are paid — because no one should have to choose between their professional calling and their basic needs. I have been in this role for nearly four years, and I am ready and honored to support anyone who needs guidance along the way.

The biggest challenge and opportunity in my field right now is changing how the industry works, especially when it comes to interns. Most of the time, interns do not get paid — but they do here. I remember doing unpaid internship work as a single mom and thinking I did not even care if it was $5 an hour, because that was better than nothing. I want to change how the whole culture works by ensuring interns are compensated for their time and effort. I have been in my role for almost four years now, and I am ready to help anyone who needs me.

What fulfills me most is helping others. I went from being scared about returning to school to finding deep fulfillment in my supervisory role, and I absolutely love getting to teach my interns. When I help them work through something with a client or tell them they are doing a great job, that is when I truly feel like myself. I am also passionate about changing the industry's culture by ensuring interns are paid, because I remember what it was like doing that work as a single mom.

In my personal life, I love live music and concerts — being where music is always present is something that brings me joy. I also love to travel when I get the chance, and while I have not done it as often lately, that is about to change. Those hard times in my life showed me just how strong you can be when you have to be, and I firmly believe there is always a choice to keep going.